{ reader special: bravomayo designs }

Hi everyone...I hope you are all having a fabulous week. My internet woes from the road continue I'm afraid. When I am able to log on, the connection is so slow, it's painful. I'm making the best of it by savoring a little "unplugged" time with the family. The optimist in me will call it a blessing in disguise. The good news is I come bearing gifts...



The oh-so-crafty Heather from Brezomayo Designs has graciously offered S.HOPtalk readers a 15% discount off any purchase in her shop. I have several of her items on my wishlist--I find her handcrafted, vintage details simply irresistible. Have a look-see for yourself, then, simply include "SHOPTALK" in the message to seller upon checkout to receive your exclusive discount.

Thanks so much Heather!!!

{ on the road...again }

spring bike, 5 x7 print found in the

ever-so-lovely, simply photo etsy shop*

Busy, busy, busy...
I am on the road this week, and unfortunately, have run into major issues trying to log on from my laptop. I will do my best to post when I can steal time on hubby's computer, but posting might be lite my friends. I will be back in action and visiting all of your lovely blogs, commenting, and answering emails next week.

* {thanks mrs. french for the simply photo intro}

{ the magic of memories... }

Some of my favorite childhood memories are of carefree summer days spent visiting my grandparents during their annual summer retreat to Twain Harte. It was there that they could escape the legendary San Francisco fog that engulfed their home each summer and indulge in a little sunshine and warm weather. 

A snap I took of the Twain Harte home where my  grandparents spent many of their summers

It's been years since I've been back, so I was thrilled to find it well preserved and nearly exactly as I remember it -- quaint, peaceful, and low-key. Perhaps it was reconnecting with family and experiencing these cherished memories again through my daughter's eyes that made it all the more magical this time around. 

The next generation of memory makers

My two best buddies

This just might be a new summer tradition...

{ thank you again for including us Maggie! }

{ off to the lake... }

Happy Friday everyone...I hope you all have fabulous weekend plans ahead of you!

Little one and I are just about to dash out the door for a girls' road trip. We will be meeting up with my mom, her sister, and several of my cousins and their families in the quaint town of Twain Harte--situated amongst tall pines, crisp mountain air, and an idyllic summer lake. What could be better?

I promise a full report on Monday. Have a wonderful weekend!!!

{ like a kid in a candy store: candywinkel }

I had one of those "why didn't I think of that" moments when I recently came across Candywinkel ~ the newly launched venture of two extraordinary paper designers, Alex Wijnen of Cecily Ink and Amy Smith of Goosey Press. These two clever ladies {read: geniuses} take fanciful vintage wares and prettily package them with nostalgic, color-coordinated candies and notions to create their fabulous line of mouth watering goods. Brilliant, no?

These photos were taken at the recent Portland, OR Antique Expo where their line was introduced after only recently being conceived of while on a 5 hour plate trip to NYC (where both women were exhibiting at the National Stationery Show). 

Read more about Candywinkel (inspired by the dutch word 'winkel' { meaning 'store'} and these two talented designers on the Cecily Ink blog and be sure to check out their equally scrumptious lines of paper goods here and here.  

{via Pam from HouseMartin who is celebrating the highly anticipated grand opening of her shop, Ink & Peat. Read all about it here.}

{ funky and fabulous: bluemoss }

I was thrilled to stumble upon these one-of-a-kind treasures from bluemoss while browsing one of my favorite blogs yesterday. Surprise details and an unexpected mix of vintage and found objects such as rhinestones, silk ribbon, brass chains, and charms make each piece distinctly unique--a wearable work of art if you will.

Find more lovelies in the bluemoss shop.

{i}spy: swellkid

This retro alphabet series of limited edition prints from swellkid put an instant smile on my face. What a swell way to spruce up your kiddos' walls. 

Carrie Cowan, the artist behind swellkid, is a 4th grade teacher who creates many of the original paintings by hand painting a page from a vintage children's book or catalog and then adding text and her own special touches. Discover more in the series as well as many other fabulous prints in the swellkid etsy shop. 

{ freshly blended: house beautiful }

Greeting me when I arrived home from my fun in the sun was the August issue of House Beautiful. If you do nothing else today, I encourage you to run to your nearest news stand and pick up a copy for yourself. 

With a focus on fresh clean looks, the issue is brimming with page after page of dreamy design inspiration, which I found to be surprisingly accessible.

Each home seems to offer a back to basics approach with a well edited mix of old and new pieces, simple and clean lines, and accessories that both add beauty and have a purpose. I've highlighted a few of my favorites.

What I found most encouraging is that much of the inspiration offered seems easy to emulate with a few basics, some well chosen flea market finds and a couple of cans of paint.

After spotting this, I can't wait to paint the cafe chairs I rescued from my neighbors' pile of discarded items and create a similar look in my backyard.

Get the look: freshen and repurpose some pieces you already 

own with some white paint. Voila!...fresh and fabulous.

These are but a few highlights...grab a copy for yourself and discover why this might be my favorite issue ever.

{all images taken by me from the current issue of House Beautiful}

{ relax, refresh, rejuvenate...repeat! }

Pictured here is the entrance to the Centre of Well Being at our hotel~a peaceful sanctuary where one can relax, refresh, and rejuvenate via luxurious massage therapies and pampering skin and body treatments. Sounds lovely, right? Even decadent to some, I'm sure.  

Is it odd then, that instead, I found my centre of well being at the local Anthropologie store where I indulged in 90 luxurious minutes of uninterrupted browsing bliss? I assure you I was relaxed, refreshed and most definitely rejuvenated upon my departure from this chosen sanctuary. 

It was here that I discovered these limited edition ceramic plates~ created in collaboration with Anthropologie by Nathalie Lete--an amazing artist based in Paris, France. Upon further research, I discovered the wonderful, often child-like world Nathalie has designed through her amazing mix of creative mediums which include, colorful drawings and paintings, charming books and special commissions. 

Her pieces have just the right touch of vintage chic

*love* these shopping bags available here.

Her rug designs are devine (as featured in her art studio)

Chocolate Paris ~ 18 mini tablets of milk chocolate

with mini souvenir views of Paris a la Nathalie

Nathalie's studio

Nathalie's collection of vintage toys--toys which 

she describes as the heroes of her drawings

Le *sigh*...Discover more via Nathalie's site and here. 

Wishing you all a weekend of relaxation and rejuvenation--

where ever you may find it.

Until Monday...cheers! 

{ sprinkles of appreciation }

Thank you, thank you, thank you dear readers for your warm vacay wishes and fabulous tips and ideas. I have researched each and every Scottsdale/Phoenix "to-do" and am armed and ready with list in hand. I plan to hit the ground running tomorrow--I can't wait!  

Thanks to a tip from anonymous, I stopped by the lovely seesaw, which is where I discovered that the fabulously famous Sprinkles had just opened one of their shops right here in Scottsdale.  I offer you this {virtual} sampling of the goods as a small token of my appreciation. You're all amazing {oh...and so is Sprinkles btw}! 

P.S. As a first-timer, I highly recommend the red velvet!

{ desert adventures }

Hi Friends...I apologize for my unexpected absence today. Hubby invited me to join him on a biz trip in AZ and when I saw the 5 star digs they were putting him up in, I couldn't resist (despite the fact it's currently 106 degrees outside). I had planned to post before leaving, alas, my last minute packing got the best of me. Internet access is dicey, but I will try to catch up with you all and a new post on Thursday. Thanks for your understanding...cheers!

P.S. Any AZ readers out there with any tips or places to go in the Scottsdale/Phoenix area???

{no...that's not us in the photo}

{ special delivery: handkerchief cards }

How thrilled would you be to receive one of these sweet handkerchief cards in the mail? 

Each vintage handkerchief includes a hand-printed message as well as a stitched to/from tag, care instructions, and an envelope for you to package it up and send off to a special pen pal. Available at Bird & Banner. Don't delay...they seem to be going quickly.

{found via poppytalk}

{ second sunday finds...}

Welcome back everyone. Did you all have a wonderful weekend? I hope so. We had friends from out of town stay with us for the weekend ~ a busy & fun time. Yesterday was the second Sunday of the month and you know what that means...The Second Sunday Antique Fair! I woke up early and popped over there while everyone else slept in. 

Would you like to see what I found?

I instantly fell in love with this huge enamelware platter-I just adore the colors and unique design. Oh...and how could I resist the little aqua vase for $1?

Shhhh...these are a surprise for my daughter -- two Peter Pan books to add to her collection. They are both original, 1st print editions from 1952. I plan to save each one for a special occasion or reward. It's rare to find one that she doesn't already have, so she's going to go nuts when she sees these.

The books were a bit of a splurge, so my spending stopped there. There were, however, several other treasures that caught my eye. Here are the ones that got away...

A fabulous vintage metal lounger

Vintage, doll-sized patio set

Cool globes

An amazing bakelite picnic set from the 1930s --
complete with a tin bread box.

How utterly charming!

Fun school writing tablets

Have I ever mentioned my obsession with chalkboards? I own several. I look at this photo and am truly amazed that I somehow resisted this one. Hmmmm...I'm thinking this missed opportunity might haunt me ; ).

I'm curious...do you have any collectibles or vintage obsessions that you find irresistible? Do tell...